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    Amara Kitchen

    4.0 (621 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Amara Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

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    AMARA KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Amara Kitchen

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    Pearl & Rose (hot)
    Christy S.

    Super popular with a self-consciously hipstery clientele. When I arrived for lunch on a Wednesday, all seats, inside and outside, were taken. Fortunately some opened up by the time I placed my order. I got the Hiho Wrap which was good and healthy and came with a nice salad. I also got the Pearl & Rose drink which looked pretty but tasted surprisingly bland. Make sure to watch out for street cleaning days when parking.

    Maria D.

    I did not like the coffee :( it felt grainy and lacking in espresso strength. Would like to give another drink a try before making a final decision though. However, the vegan pancakes were YUMMY and I will be back for them!! The vegan butter on top, to DIE FOR. and the JAM, MAGNIFICENT. They have lots of seating available indoors and outdoors. Service is quick and friendly. This place is very popular during the weekends. Plenty of street parking available.

    Guava cookies...
    Jennifer A.

    This restaurant is a vegan's heaven!I went to lunch here.I ordered the vegan breakfast sandwich.I've never had a sandwich have so much flavor!With the sweet potatoe patty,greens,grilled onions and sauces.It was paired with a salad that had a vinaigrette as well.I also ordered their guava cookies.So healthy and good!The hostess there was nice too!

    Lots of snacks to choose from!
    Elizabeth H.

    Came here for a quick bite before heading to the doctor. Preparation was fast and service was very accommodating. I had the Chicken Sandwich. It was hearty and comforting. The baguette was just right. The place is simple and no fuss. It's come eat and go.

    Cappuccino
    Liliana A.

    Food was delicious. Cappuccino was OK. Friendly staff. Sitting available indoors and outdoors.

    Meena N.

    Went here on rainy Sunday morning. Long line. But line moves quick. Very limited seating inside. So if you're a large party it would be difficult. We were a party of 4 and it was challenging. Not a place you can linger too long because every one is looking for a table. I ordered the purple eggs. I don't even know how to describe this dish. It is an explosion of flavors. There's some guac, different sauces, beets and eggs with salad. It's really very good. I ordered the paleo bread which was yummy too. To drink I ordered the vanilla latte. I didn't love it. The taste of the cashew and almond milk takes a little getting used to. My friend had the burrito and said it was very good.

    Grilled Chicken Burrito
    Christina P.

    This is such a cute little hidden gem. Very trendy and I can see why. I was looking up alternative healthier food options that I can go to and actually sit down and enjoy. I just needed something to add to my list of good quality food restaurants. Parking is a little tough but I was able to get a parking space nearby up the street. There was a line as soon as I walked in didn't know but you can grab a menu on the side right in the front when you walk in. I was a little lost and confused at first but was able to grab a menu right in time to order. The have indoor and outdoor eating. It was such a beautiful day that we had to sit outside. The staff was very welcoming and friendly. I didn't really know what to order but I ordered my mom the tuna on sourdough and I had the chicken burrito. Mind you everything is fresh and organic. I also ordered a half size of the market fruit basil salad, the rose tea and black tea for my mom and a hot chi tea latte for myself. Let me tell you everything was so flavorful and delicious. My mom said this was some of the best tuna she's had in awhile, and after I tried it, I wanted one for myself. I wanted the chicken burrito and tuna. The burrito was so flavorful with the grilled chesse on the outside of the tortilla and the sauce on the side added a nice little touch. The salad was so good. Fresh fruit and the beets. Yum. I want to come back just to try their breakfast. I missed out on the brownie and cookie from what I heard is absolutely delicious. I will definitely be back. Fresh food, farmers market fruit on the salad and in-house made desserts, I'm all in.

    Liana M.

    Stopped here for a quick to-go pickup for lunch earlier this week. I was in the area, and the menu looked good. When I got there, there was still an hour before they closed, but the employees were already starting to clean up and get ready to close. The cashier wasn't very friendly, but she took my order and then went back to cleaning. The inside was pretty cute, but there was only like one other table occupied while I was there. And then one outside on the sidewalk. I'm sure it gets busy earlier in the day though because I was there around 3ish. It only took maybe 10 minutes to get my food, which wasn't a bad wait time. And luckily, the food was good! I got the spicy chicken quinoa bowl. So flavorful and the chicken was perfect. I thought it was going to be warm though and it was more like a cold salad. But honestly, I was fine with that because it was kind of a hot day. It could have been a bit spicier though. It wasn't really spicy by my standards. Overall a pretty good experience. I would def come back to try other items and drinks if I'm in the area again.

    Tuna toast
    Victoria L.

    amazing high quality food! i got the tuna roast on sourdough.. chefs kiss!! Such high quality meal served so quickly, beautiful clean place and food made with high quality ingredients!!

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    2 days ago

    very yummy, colorful and healthy options with lots of gluten free options for meals and desserts!

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    9 months ago

    Grace and staff were terrific. Very friendly and accommodating. The food was authentic and fresh. Can't wait to be back!

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    6 months ago

    The presentation was appealing and the food was very Delicious. I would definitely go back and recommend it.

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    Amara Kitchen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Amara Kitchen

    Do you have A/C?

    Yes

    Looking for a place to get some work done. Is there WiFi?

    No wifi :/

    Do they take Apple Pay?

    Yes

    Hello! Do you have nutrition facts for your menu?

    Some but not all. Most food looks like organic

    View All 6 Questions

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    Mason's Dumpling Shop - Soup dumplings

    Mason's Dumpling Shop

    4.3(757 reviews)
    0.9 miHighland Park
    $$

    I've been walking down the street and popping in here every couple of months. There are things that…read moreare just so freaking solid: namely the Stewed Pork Belly Bun and their Broccoli with sesame sauce. The bun is killer, not much more needs to be said. But the brocolli...come on. A lot of the time it's the small things that make or break a dish that flirts with perfection, and they got this down to an art; not only is the sauce succulent (yes I will use that word because it befits any dish that makes me smack my lips like a Philistine), but the timing of steaming the broc is what takes this simple appetizer and makes it into something transcendent. Just a little bit more or less sauce and it would still be about as good. But any less or (God forbid) more steam, and this order would be sent spinning from atop its summit into the land of meh. I'd give the place 5 stars but the service tends to be just a little sour, which is brought into more of a focus in that they barely need to interact at all, given the dystopian self-serve screen you must use. You lose one star for your lack of humanity there, Mason's. But keep it up with the broc and I'll absolutely continue to let it slide.

    We ordered a lot of food because everything on the menu looked amazing. Overall, it was a great…read moreexperience with a few standout dishes. Pork Soup Dumplings - 8/10 These were classic pork soup dumplings served with an umami-rich sauce. When dining in, they also provide ginger on the side, which you can dip in soy sauce, vinegar, or both. Solid and satisfying. Beef Angus Bun - 7/10 This one is skippable in my opinion. The meat tasted like it had been braised in a soy-based sauce for a while, but the texture inside was a bit rough. There was also a lot of bun, and while the flavor was okay, it didn't stand out. Pan-Fried Blue Crab Dumplings - 9/10 My favorite dish of the meal! The exterior was nicely crispy, while the inside stayed soft and flavorful with a rich, umami crab taste. Pan-Fried Chicken and Cabbage Dumplings - 8/10 These were lighter and less rich than the blue crab dumplings, but still very good. They tasted fresher and "healthier," which is what I expected. Parking is available in a small plaza outside, with additional street parking if the lot is full. The shop itself is cozy and welcoming, prices felt reasonable for what we ordered, and service was quick.

    Photos
    Mason's Dumpling Shop - Inside IG: @ammysalamii

    Inside IG: @ammysalamii

    Mason's Dumpling Shop - Steamed Vegan dumplings

    Steamed Vegan dumplings

    Mason's Dumpling Shop - Hand made

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    Hippo - Clams

    Hippo

    4.2(963 reviews)
    0.9 miHighland Park
    $$$

    The appetizers were the star of the show for me. I loved the Crudo which tasted very fresh, and the…read moresauce and strawberries gave it a light refreshing taste. For the hippo rolls, the butter they gave was delicious and the rolls were buttery soft. The prosciutto and burrata also tasted great with the grilled bread that they gave! I was actually pretty full just based on the appetizers my family and I shared. All the pastas they served were very unique and I'd never tasted anything like them before. The sweet corn was my personal favorite. The more I ate it, the more I liked it. The other two I actually wasn't a big fan of, but that's due to my personal preference. The grilled chicken was very flavorfully seasoned that I lowkey needed some rice lol. The vibes of this place are immaculate. The moment I stepped in I was greeted with amazing architecture consisting of high ceilings, wood aesthetic, and an open kitchen concept. We were seated next to the kitchen so it was amazing to see all the food prepared!

    Wanted to try something new in my boyfriend's neighborhood. We went to Hippo. No reservations, we…read morewere seated at the bar. I ordered the duck tagliolini, which was rich and flavorful. I really want to go try other items on the menu, but what made this place special was the service. 10/10 to the bartenders, Hannah and Carlos . My bf and I got back from France a couple of weeks ago where I discover the Hugo spritz. My bf asked if they could make it, and we got one of the best ones I've ever tried. We also had other recommendations for drinks and places.

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    Hippo - Bar scene

    Bar scene

    Hippo - Rolls were so good.

    Rolls were so good.

    Hippo - Conchiglie

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    Conchiglie

    Modu Cafe - black sesame mochi cake

    Modu Cafe

    4.2(299 reviews)
    0.7 miHighland Park

    I had such a great experience at Modu Cafe today…read more I ordered an iced latte and a matcha latte, and both were excellent. The coffee was smooth, and the matcha had a rich, balanced flavor without being overly sweet. What really stood out to me, though, was the bakery. The pastry display was absolutely beautiful--it felt more like an art exhibition with a subtle Japanese aesthetic than a typical bakery. I tried the Milk Cream Bun and the Miso Cinnamon Roll. The Milk Cream Bun was light and perfectly balanced, with just the right amount of sweetness. The Miso Cinnamon Roll completely surprised me. I was curious how miso would work in a cinnamon roll, but it didn't taste noticeably like miso. Instead, it added a subtle savory umami that elevated the sweetness of the cinnamon roll beautifully. It was unlike anything I've had before. This place left such a great impression that I already want to come back and try the rest of the pastries. Highly recommended!

    We arrived at Modu Cafe around 2:30 pm on a weekday and it was surprisingly packed. There weren't…read moreany open seats when we arrived, although a few were being taken up by people's bags. From waiting in line to receiving our drinks, the whole process took a little under 10 minutes. Parking is street parking only, but it's pretty easy. There are plenty of marked spaces nearby, and the streets are wide, so getting in and out of the spots isn't difficult. We ordered a Matcha Latte and Hojicha Latte with cream tops, which cost extra to add and brought each drink to around $8. Visually, they looked really promising, and from what I could see, everything was being hand whisked. Unfortunately, the drinks missed the mark for me. The matcha was smooth and not overly sweet, but it leaned more grassy, while I personally prefer matcha with nuttier notes. That part really just comes down to preference. The hojicha was more disappointing. It was still a little powdery, which was distracting, and I found it quite sweet. I was told it was lightly sweetened with agave, but the sweetness seemed to overpower some of the hojicha flavor. The hojicha itself seemed like it had a good flavor underneath, but everything together just didn't work for me. The cafe has a nice atmosphere and a pretty expansive menu, so it's possible I would've had a different experience with other items. However, considering how busy it was in the middle of a weekday, I'm not sure I'd recommend it as a reliable work or study spot. The staff was fine, but nothing particularly stood out about the service either. Overall, I've had much better matcha and hojicha elsewhere, especially at this price point. Modu Cafe unfortunately wasn't for me, and I'm not sure I'd come back specifically to give it another try.

    Photos
    Modu Cafe - $8 Milk Cream Bun (loooots of cream in there, and so soft!)

    $8 Milk Cream Bun (loooots of cream in there, and so soft!)

    Modu Cafe - Black Sesame Mochi Cake and Milk Bun

    Black Sesame Mochi Cake and Milk Bun

    Modu Cafe - Milk Cream Bun ($8.00). Picture perfect!! :D lol

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    Milk Cream Bun ($8.00). Picture perfect!! :D lol

    Checker Hall - Lamb burger.

    Checker Hall

    4.5(578 reviews)
    1.1 miHighland Park
    $$$

    My soon-to-be sister-in-law Rhian M. just turned 30, and her parents invited our family to a Labor…read moreDay birthday dinner at Checker Hall. We were a party of fifteen, between the ages of two and 69, and we occupied the entire back wall of the main dining room. It was a fun, festive, memorable gathering. Checker Hall is a happening place, in the heart of downtown Highland Park. It had been a minute since I'd been in the neighborhood, and boy has it fully gentrified. This restaurant is across from both a Jeni's Ice Cream and a Mendocino Farms. Checker Hall has plenty of character, though, and it seems popular with young people, maybe because it's attached to a music venue. It's probably the nicest restaurant I've been to of late where I'm above the median age. The space is beautiful, on the second floor of a lushly restored masonic hall. Rich wood floors, green patterned wallpaper, an attractive bar in the middle of the room. Several ceiling fans, much admired by my four-year-old. My boys also dug the live music, provided by a three-piece band playing near the entrance. Service was great, the staff well equipped to handle a large dinner party. The menu was pre-set, though we were allowed to order a la carte for the kids (this was unnecessary, as there was plenty the non-picky ones could eat, and we brought food for the picky one). We paid corkage for a couple bottles of wine, and ordered some cocktails, too. I liked my Carmen #6, a spicy tequila drink with pamplemousse, lime, yuzu, agave, jalapeño, sumac, and Angostura bitters. Ditto my husband's The Screaming Parrot, a tropical highball with Singani 63, Bacardi Reserva Ocho, orgeat, eucalyptus, makrut, citrus, pineapple, walnut bitters, and nutmeg. The food was delicious and plentiful, starting with a trio of house spreads and a mountain of hot, fluffy za'atar-dusted pita. There was hummus with crispy chickpeas, green zhoug, and tahini; baba ghanoush with grilled eggplant, seasonal peppers, tahini, and pomegranate molasses; and whipped feta with caramelized honey butter and urfa chili. There were three kinds of skewers, all superb. My favorite was actually the maitake mushroom, perfectly cooked with chili garlic glaze, salsa verde, and tahini. The spiced chicken was tender and juicy, with brown butter, lemon, chickpea, and herbs. And the glazed pork belly was a sticky, crispy throwback to the 2010s, with aromatic shoyu and pickled daikon and rhubarb. For veggies, we had halloumi fattoush salad with arugula, radicchio, strawberry, cherry tomato, red onion, cucumber, crispy pita, and sumac. Then brussels sprouts with pomegranate, lemon, and petitas romesco and sticky Japanese sweet potato with garlic glaze, hazelnut, harissa oil, and aji verde. The sweet potato was especially good. The two entrée dishes caught me by surprise, mostly because I was full of food and they were truly enormous. There was chicken schnitzel with spiced honey, herb lettuce salad, citrus slaw, and a trio of sauces: tahini, harissa aioli, and chili jam. Then the steak frites, New York strip with levantine au poivre and frites. I didn't eat that much of either of these, but they were solid, if not as impressive as the smaller dishes. We brought our own cake and, at one point, took the children across the street for ice cream, mostly to give them a field trip. I have no doubt, though, that the house desserts would have been top notch, and appreciated the flexibility. We live pretty far from Checker Hall but I'd love to go back. It's a wonderful restaurant, great for a special occasion or just a lively night out, with music and atmosphere and excellent food and drink.

    Set upstairs inside a historic masonic hall. This building is half concert venue so tell the door…read moreguy you're here for the restaurant. Follow the beautiful checkered stairs up to the restaurant. Inside is beautifully maximalist decor. Theres a gorgeous bar in the center. We'd ask for balcony seating but theres only 4 tables and all were taken so we sat inside. Service 10/10 Hamachi app 10/10 Japanese sweet potatoes 10/10 crispy, gooey and sweet Orange chicken schnitzel 10/10 so delicious, a must order Steak + friets 10/10 steak was cooked perfectly and the fries were delicious Gin dirty martini 10/10 Espresso martini 10/10 Honestly cant wait to come back and try more things. Would also be a wonderful spot just for drinks and vibes.

    Photos
    Checker Hall - Friday Vibes

    Friday Vibes

    Checker Hall - Zatar humus.

    Zatar humus.

    Checker Hall - Chicken schnitzel.

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    Chicken schnitzel.

    Amara Kitchen - coffee - Updated September 2026

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